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Flying

Sitting in the stiff plane seat, with my seatbelt done up low and tight, I can’t help but fight that jittery feeling. Anyone else? I know the woman nervously tearing up paper in 9A gets it, and the gentlemen in 6C who is obsessively clicking his overhead light on and off. The swell of excitement and anticipation. I’m no stranger to flying, the dive of the stomach as the plan defies gravity (whilst working with the thrust, drag, etc.) to launch into the sky and send all us eager passengers to our destination.

Admittedly, this is a small stepping stone towards a greater holiday. Japan. I casually cast my eyes over my neighbours. 8B is doing a cross word and 7A is studying a research proposal, fancy. I feel a bit GenZ tapping away with my thumbs on my giant smartphone (iPhone 6s+ thank you!) but it is comfortable to be writing down all the words in my head as the engines hum in a high pitched whirring sounds that only emphasises the odd bumpy turbulence as we soar into the clouds.

Something about flying is so romanticised. When I was younger it was such an adventure; the headphones, the ears popping, the way the city lights below twisted and angled bizarrely as the plane to’s and fro’s. Now, it almost feels like a chore having to catch a plane to get somewhere. I really wish I hadn’t lost that thrill. As they say (‘they’ referring to some Confucius level wise-sayer) the journey to your destination is a major part of any adventure. I always say to my students “don’t focus on the end result. It is about the effort and the experience of working towards that ‘A’ that makes everything worthwhile.”

Sometimes as we grow up we lose that magical feeling of experiencing things and they become mundane and exhausting. We literally just flew past the moon though, and it has reminded me of just how incredible flying is. We dream about it! We fantasise about heroic powers that give us this very gift! It is amazing for the very reason that out of my right window I flew past the moon and out my left side window there is a sunset.

On this holiday, I vow now, to embrace and enjoy every little experience… regardless of how small or menial.

Because, really, that is what makes up the adventure of the holiday!

Stay tuned for more musings and tales from the Japan adventurer (also known as 8C).